The grand palace halls.
Consort Lin held a cup of tea, her gaze falling on the person seated below with a languid posture, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
“As usual.”
Li Qiongyu idly played with the smooth white porcelain cup in his hand.
He was dressed in a dark red robe, legs crossed in a relaxed manner, leaning against the carved chair as if boneless.
Hearing the consort’s words, he looked up.
Perhaps due to the wine, the corners of his eyes were tinged with red, making his peach blossom eyes even more charming and alluring.
“Aunt, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going back. I’m bored.”
Consort Lin let out a soft huff, “You never come to see me for years, and now you’re impatient after only sitting for a moment?”
Upon hearing this, Li Qiongyu let out an almost inaudible chuckle.
“How dare I.”
“Your mother mentioned that your marriage has been arranged with the young granddaughter of the Wei family.”
Li Qiongyu rubbed the porcelain cup in his hand, saying, “Yes.”
“I’ve introduced you to so many families, and you’ve disliked them all. Why did you specifically choose the Wei family?”
Consort Lin glanced at him, her eyes holding an unreadable meaning.
“Although the Wei family are military officials, they don’t hold much military power. They’ve been suppressed almost entirely by the Prince of Dingbei. Marrying a daughter from their family is not as good as marrying the daughter of the Right Prime Minister.”
Li Qiongyu glanced over and said, “It is a matter of parental decree and the words of the matchmaker.”
Stifled by his words, Consort Lin suppressed the displeasure in her heart. This brat had been dissolute since childhood; how could he listen to her sister’s words?
“If Aunt has nothing else, I’ll be leaving now. There are many matters to attend to at the manor.”
Seeing that he was indeed about to leave, Consort Lin quickly said, “Don’t let your mother worry too much. You are not young anymore. Once you are married, settle down. You can’t always be doing those disreputable things outside.”
Li Qiongyu’s expression remained unchanged, his smile still present.
Consort Lin wanted to say more, but suddenly, a voice came from outside the hall.
“Your Highness, the personal guard of the Young Marquis requests an audience.”
Consort Lin frowned, “Wait outside.”
Li Qiongyu said, “Aunt, it might be an urgent matter. I’ll leave first.”
His attendants would not be so lacking in foresight; it must be an urgent matter.
Consort Lin wanted to say something else, but seeing that he had already strode away, her expression immediately turned grim.
After Li Qiongyu exited, he saw Jing Yu waiting outside the door.
“What is it?”
“Young Master, the spies in the palace have sent word that Miss Wei seems to have run into trouble. She was abducted somewhere in the Imperial Garden.”
They were originally ordered to wait outside the palace to escort her back, but she had not come for a long time.
The palace was filled with the Prince of Dingbei’s spies. Before long, he received the news.
“I fear she was taken by an enemy.”
“Do you know who it was?”
“We are already investigating.”
Li Qiongyu’s expression turned cold, and he said nothing more, walking outward.
Jing Yu was astonished by his Young Master’s lack of reaction.
“Young Master, should we ask the Prince for troops to search and apprehend?”
Li Qiongyu remained silent, his expression slightly grim, lost in thought.
A moment later, he stopped and said, “Send the dark guards to the Eastern Palace and Li Cheng’s Chaoyang Palace. Investigate covertly, and do not alert them.”
“Yes.”
“By the way, did you encounter anyone or have any conflicts when you entered the palace?”
Jing Yu quickly replied, “Li Cheng.” He paused, then added in a low voice, “He also teased Miss Wei a few times.”
A flicker of killing intent flashed in Li Qiongyu’s eyes, almost imperceptible.
He let out a sneer, “He has some nerve.”
Jing Yu looked at his Young Master’s smile and felt a slight chill. He knew very well that the more his Young Master smiled, the more intense his killing intent became.
Li Qiongyu walked out with large strides. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he asked from behind,
“Where is Princess Qinghe currently residing in the palace?”
Jing Yu was surprised. What did this have to do with Princess Qinghe?
“It seems to be in Fuyang Palace.”
“Investigate.”
“Yes.”
After giving his orders, Li Qiongyu strode towards the military department.
It was already dark, and the military department was brightly lit.
As he entered, he saw two people eating.
Ye Luan clearly noticed the wrong expression on Li Qiongyu’s face and put down her chopsticks.
“What’s wrong? Where is Qingge?”
She had been forcibly kept in the palace by Xiao Chizhan these past few days. In the afternoon, she had heard them teasing Qingge and Li Qiongyu, so she knew they were both in the palace.
Li Qiongyu did not respond to her, instead looking at Xiao Chizhan, who remained silent, and asked, “Have you found out who it was?”
“We are investigating.”
“Where is Xue Ren?”
Although Li Qiongyu’s face showed no change, there was an inexplicable sense of dread about him.
In the flickering light of the palace lanterns, his features were alternately sharp and soft, and a cold glint appeared in his peach blossom eyes.
Ye Luan heard their conversation and was slightly startled, “Qingge was abducted?”
To abduct someone within the palace, what audacity!
“Yes,” Li Qiongyu sneered, “Such great audacity.”
Xiao Chizhan’s expression remained unchanged, “Xue Ren.”
“My Lord.”
“Have the people of Xue Shi investigate.”
Li Qiongyu interrupted, “No need. I wanted to ask if there are any secret passages or hidden rooms in Fuyang Palace and Chaoyang Palace?”
Being intelligent individuals, upon hearing his words, both of them instantly understood.
Li Cheng was at odds with them, and it was highly likely he had taken her to humiliate her.
Furthermore, Princess Qinghe had a past enmity with Wei Qingge. She had only just entered the palace and had not offended anyone else. These two were the most likely culprits.
“Yes, I will take you. Do you need to dispatch troops to surround them?”
Li Qiongyu walked out with a cold face, “No need.”
Ye Luan wanted to follow, but Xiao Chizhan held her back.
“Let go.”
Xiao Chizhan did not let go. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.
“Don’t go. You won’t be able to withstand his methods.”
In a secret chamber of Fuyang Palace.
Wei Qingge had lost all her strength. She tightly gripped the knife in her hand, leaning against the dark wall, defiantly glaring at Li Cheng, who was walking towards her.
“You have some skill. You can fight so many moves even after being injured.”
Li Cheng had a knife wound on his shoulder, which had just been bandaged to stop the bleeding.
His expression was no longer as playful as before. The pain from the wound had distorted his eyes with a touch of malice.
“Come here obediently, otherwise, I will make you wish you were dead and torture you to death.”
Wei Qingge was on the verge of collapse. The intense pain all over her body made her feel as if she was about to faint.
She bit her lip, desperately trying to stay conscious.
“Pig’s head, you dream if you think you can defile me. Not in this lifetime.”
Since she was going to die anyway, what did it matter what his status was? If she didn’t curse him, it would be a waste.
Li Cheng’s mouth twisted in anger. “She’s quite feisty. Come on, hold her down and bring her over. I want to see if she can still be so stubborn under me.”
Several guards rushed forward, intending to capture her.
Wei Qingge swiftly stabbed herself in the abdomen, but their movements were too fast. A foot kicked away her knife, and they seized her.
She was greatly alarmed. Ignoring the pain, she looked at the charging Li Cheng and punched him in the head.
“Ah–”
Li Yan, standing aside, had been watching the scene for a long time and could no longer bear it.
“Third Prince, stop playing around. Finish it quickly.”
Li Cheng also lost the mood to tease her. Angrily, he grabbed Wei Qingge’s arm, twisted it behind her back, and began to tear at her clothes.
Wei Qingge was filled with shame and indignation, struggling desperately. The tears that she had forcefully suppressed instantly welled up and streamed down her face.
“Li Cheng, you will absolutely not have a good end. I will not let you go even in death.”
“Hahaha, she’s really spirited.”
At this moment, with a sudden bang, the door of the dark chamber was opened, and strong light poured in, illuminating the dark and damp room.